title: Upregulation of water channel aquaporin-4 in experimental autoimmune encephalomyeritis.
abstract: Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is a water channel protein that plays an important role in water movement in the central nervous system (CNS). Recently, presence of anti-AQP4 antibody has been reported in the sera from patients with neuromyelitis optica. AQP4 is therefore a possible target for inflammatory mechanisms in CNS. In the present investigation, we performed semi-quantitative analysis of AQP4-mRNA in brain and spinal cord from mice affected with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) using real-time PCR. AQP4-mRNA expression was increased in EAE; reaching a peak in the spinal cord at 14 days, and in the brain at 21 days after first inoculation. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that AQP4 is expressed on astrocytes, indicating that the increase in AQP4 expression may correlate with astrocytic activation. This is the first study to demonstrate upregulation of AQP4 in EAE. The upregulation of AQP4 could be involved in the development of inflammation in the acute phase of EAE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsuichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nagaosa
authors.forename: Mayumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Motoyama
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kusunoki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006023:Glycoproteins; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C496031:Aqp4 protein, mouse; D051401:Aquaporin 4; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D006023:Glycoproteins; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C445081:myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (35-55)